Bill increases and sewage scandals mark a torrid year for the water industry
Share:
It's been a torrid year for the water industry, even by its own standards. Public discontent reached new heights as sewage spills increased, Thames Water faced possible collapse, and one company accidentally poisoned its customers. This turmoil occurred amid impending bill hikes approved by regulator Ofwat earlier in December. Here is recap of the past year and offers insights into what might lie ahead in 2025.
– Sewage scandals. Sewage spills and pollution notably increased, according to Environment Agency data The River Thames' contamination was so bad that an Oxford University rower spoke out about encountering "poo in the water" during the prestigious boat race in April.
Investigations revealed alarmingly elevated E.coli levels in sections of the river regularly used for the famous Oxford vs Cambridge event. United Utilities came under scrutiny over allegations of not reporting over 100 million litres of unlawfully discharged raw sewage into Lake Windermere across three years. Detailed analysis concluded that from 2021 to 2023, the company released 143 to 286 million litres of waste into the lake without permission.
In the South West, Devon’s water situation became dire as Pennon, South West Water's parent company, had to compensate residents following a parasite outbreak that sent people to hospital. The crisis in Brixham resulted in some households relying on bottled water for up to two months.
In May, an outbreak left numerous individuals hospitalised and hundreds sick after the water supply in Brixham, Devon, was contaminated with cryptosporidium, a parasite that causes sickness and diarrhoea. Approximately 17,000 households and businesses supplied by South West Water (SWW) were slapped with a "boil water" notice on May 15, following a surge of illness reports in the town.
